Mothers in the UK and France face persistent workplace penalty

New research shows that one in three parents feel forced to quit their job because of a "motherhood penalty". In the UK, many flexible‑working requests are denied or only partially approved, with high commuting costs (up to £7,000 a year) and nursery fees (£120 a day) making return to work financially untenable. After childbirth, parents miss out on promotions, pension accrual and pay rises. Legislation introduced last year has had limited effect – only 15% of employees report changing their working pattern as a result, while 78% say nothing has changed. The experience of Cambridge event manager Amy Cowan illustrates the issue: after maternity leave she was pressured to monitor emails outside work hours and eventually left her role.

In France, data from INSEE indicate that a mother’s earnings fall by about 25% five years after her first child, with a lasting penalty of roughly 30%, whereas fathers’ wages are unaffected. The loss stems mainly from reduced or part‑time work rather than direct employer discrimination, which remains illegal. Experts stress that transparent discussion of maternity plans and supportive management can mitigate the penalty.